This Commons Library briefing paper provides information on the decision to restrict entitlement to the housing cost element of Universal Credit for young people aged 18-21. The paper sets out the exemptions that will apply and includes comment on the potential impact of the measure.

Our special edition of Evidence reports on the first wave of findings from the welfare conditionality project. We look at the use of sanctions, lone parents, migrants, homelessness, offenders, ASB Universal Credit and the support on offer to welfare service users.

This evaluation framework from the Department for Work and Pensions outlines plans for continuing to develop the Universal Credit evidence base and updates the Evaluation Framework document published in December 2012.

The aim of this study was to explore the impact of ongoing welfare changes on a range of working age households in Scotland. The study consisted of four interview sweeps over a three year period (2013-16).

Published as part of ILC-UK’s 'future of the state' project, this think piece argues that building and sustaining enough housebuilding to meet our chronic undersupply requires action on all levels, not just focused on younger people.

A study by the Northern Housing Consortium surveyed 38 organisations. Within the sample, the average level of rent arrears of Universal Credit claimants in participating organisations has risen by 41.1% since roll out.

This memorandum has been prepared to inform the Work and Pensions Committee’s inquiry into the future of Jobcentre Plus (JCP). As part of its inquiry, the Committee is considering the likely effects of planned welfare policy changes on JCP footfall and the configuration of JCP offices. This memorandum describes the current JCP estate and summarises some of the trends in unemployment benefit caseloads in recent years.

This survey provides an update on the impact of the rollout of universal credit (UC) on levels of rent collection and explores some of the factors which may be pushing more UC claimants into arrears. At the time of our survey the 20 organisations who participated housed a total of just over 3,000 households who were in receipt of UC.

This is a guide which pulls together existing evidence on work, housing, the economy and welfare. It argues that whether the UK votes to stay or to go, it’s vital that people and places in poverty are not left behind.

This report from the New Policy Institute explores what housing benefit data can tell us about the mobility of low-income households. It shows the extent to which housing benefit claimants are moving, and how this differs between areas and over time.

The Welfare Reform and Work Act includes many of the changes announced in the 2015 Summer Budget and some that were in the Conservative Party manifesto for the 2015 general election. This briefing paper examines the Act and, for each section, sets out the current situation and what has been changed. It also includes the date that the change takes effect, where available.

This report sets out a three point plan for the new Secretary of State, designed to both ensure that UC will provide the support needed for families moving into and progressing in work in the future and to make implementation as simple as possible. It argues that Stephen Crabb should restate and reclaim the role of UC in supporting more people into work and then boosting earnings, rather than being a source of savings for the Treasury to meet fiscal targets.

An explanatory note for making a formal application for an exemption to the rent reductions in the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016. (HCA) The Homes and Communities Agency has issued an explanatory note for making a formal application for an exemption to the rent reductions in the Welfare Reform and Work Act 2016.

The National Audit Office found that while the cap builds on well-established forecasts of social security and tax credit spending, there are several areas in which analysis and forecasts could be improved. It recommends that HM Treasury should better support the OBR by increasing access to departmental experts and increasing the time that the OBR has to consider the impacts of new policies.

Part 1 of this House of Commons Library briefing paper gives a broad overview of the law governing the rights of European Economic Area (EEA) migrants to access social housing in England. Part 2 considers whether there is any evidence to suggest that EEA migrants are able to “jump the queue” to access social housing more quickly than other applicants.

Originally released in July 2015 and then again in November 2015, this updated version of the House of Commons Library paper explains how the household benefit cap operates and considers evidence of its impact to date. It goes on to consider the government's intention to reduce the cap from £26,000 to £20,000 per year (£23,000 in London).

This report updates all the figures for the pre-2015 reforms to take account of the actual outturn. This enables an assessment of the cumulative impact by the end of the present decade along with how much has happened already and how much is still in the pipeline.

In a word (at the time of writing) - "yes". There is some evidence to suggest that private landlords are reluctant to let to prospective tenants in receipt of Housing Benefit. This note from the House of Commons Library explains the reasons for that reluctance and why it is not unlawful.

The Immigration Act 2014 requires private sector landlords to check their tenants Right to Rent, which is to say, to ensure that they are not disqualified from privately renting property in the UK as a result of their immigration status.

This House of Commons Briefing Paper summarises some key findings arising from research into the impact of the under-occupation deduction from Housing Benefit (also referred to as the 'Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy' or 'bedroom tax').

The latest report from the Equality Trust examines the high marginal tax rate faced by low income, working parents receiving tax credits, how this rate will increase under the new social security system of Universal Credit, and how this rate is far higher than someone in the richest 1% can expect to pay.

This House of Commons paper provides information on who is affected by the reduction in Housing Benefit when under-occupying a social rented home (also referred to as 'the removal of the Spare Room Subsidy' or the 'bedroom tax').

This document is the Scottish Federation of Housing Association's call to urgently rethink upcoming changes to Housing Benefit which they believe could cost the social housing sector hundreds of millions of pounds a year and put the health and wellbeing of vulnerable tenants at risk.

This year’s Cities Outlook claims that while 14 cities can be said to be achieving the 'higher-wage, low-welfare' economy goal already, almost half have lower wages, and higher welfare, than the national average. Moreover, welfare spending since 2010 has grown at a much faster rate in high-wage cities, largely the result of rising housing benefit payments.

With sections on covering accessible housing, under-occupancy and benefit/welfare issues, this briefing paper provides information on details of the inquiry and an overview of the government's policies in relation to people with disabilities.

This report from the National Audit Office examines how English councils have implemented local welfare provision since April 2013 and the challenges councils face sustaining provision. It provides advice to councils on issues to consider when deciding what support they provide to meet local welfare needs.